BRENDA’S FRENCH SOUL FOOD >

Louisiana cooking, when packaged and delivered to parts of the country thousands of miles from Lake Pontchartrain, often becomes a caricature of itself. Everything about it pivots around the whimsical mysticism of Bourbon Street, Mardi Gras and excess revelry. This isn’t the case at Brenda’s French Soul Food. Creole food is an amalgamation of culinary influences ranging from Spanish and West African to German and Italian, and when undertaken properly, is a serious endeavor. Luckily, chef Brenda Buenviaje, who co-owns Brenda’s (and Libby Jane Cafe next door and Brenda’s Meat and Three on Divisadero) with Libby Truesdell, has a practical, realistic approach to the business. The food at Brenda’s is homey, devoid of comical New Orleans tropes. Brenda’s is unassuming and unapologetic in its replication of New Orleans’ inspired cooking, and San Francisco is better for it. Pro tip: Dinner is one thing at Brenda’s, but it’s the brunch experience that’s a scene unto itself. Blame it on the crawfish beignets. Or the shrimp and grits. Or the omelet with Andouille sausage. The big question: How long do you want to wait? It’s not uncommon to wait 90 minutes for a seat during peak brunch hours. But it’s a bucket list item, and the food makes it worth it, especially when it makes a Louisiana native nod in approval. The chicken, sausage and okra gumbo has a formidable roux. Cornmeal is used to fry the flaky, full-bodied catfish. The chicken etouffee comes with a slow-simmered tomato gravy. Order: For breakfast, shrimp and grits ($17). For dinner, red beans and rice ($12.75), hush puppies with remoulade sauce ($6) and three pieces of Brenda’s fried chicken ($18.50).

652 Polk St., San Francisco. 415-345-8100 or www.frenchsoulfood.com. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Tues., 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Wed.-Sat., 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun. No reservations. Credit cards accepted.

— J.P.